Three red wines from Italy: Kellerei Bozen, Terre di Giurfo and Zenato

Kellerei Bozen is located in South Tyrol in the far north of Italy. It is located in the town of Bozen which is the German name, for Italians it is more known as Bolzano. From what I could read with my school German Kellerei Bozen is a cooperative started to promote the wines of the region. The wine I have tasted is a Lagrein wine called Perl from the vintage 2018. Lagrein is a hard grape to grow but the wine it produces is very good. This particular Lagrein has been grown in Bozen at the height of 250m and the grapes are picked at the end of September/beginning or October. It is fermented in steeltanks before being stored in big oak casks before being bottled. In the taste I get cherry, plums and some tannins. A very nice and well structured Lagrein.

Next wine is the Valpolicella Classico Superiore from the producer Zenato in Veneto of the vintage 2017. Zenato is a quite big producer and is run by Carla Zenato together with her children Alberto and Nadia. This Valpolicella wine contains 85% Corvina Veronese, 10% Rondinella, and 5% Corvinone. In the taste I get a mix of red and black fruits and berries with some oak in the back. A nice Valpolicella.

The last wine is a Frappato from Sicily. The wine is called Belsito Frappato DOC Vittoria by the producer Terre di Giurfo of the vintage 2016. Terre di Giurfo is situated in Ragusa in Sicily and specialises in native grapes from Sicily. Frappato is not a known grape and it is native to Sicily. It is mostly grown in Sicily and has been mostly used for blending and there has not been many monovarietal wines made from Frappato. This frappato wine is harvested in the middle of September from vineyards at a height of 500 meters above sea level. It is then fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks before being bottled.  In the taste I get cherry, strawberries and some acidity with a hint of tannins. Quite light and good,  quite a typical Frappato.

Three red wines from Italy

The producer Mandrarossa in Sicily produces many different wines. One of them is Costadune, this is made of 100% Nero D'Avola. This grape is a grape that is completely red throughut, many red grapes only has a red skin. This grape is mostly grown in Sicily and has during the last years shown to produce good red wines and not just simple table wine. The Costadune wine is from 2017 and has the ABV 13,5%. The taste is of red currants, som red cherry with some spice and tannins and acidity. Goes down quite well and is a nice easy drinking wine.

Next red wine is the wine Rosso Di Montalcino from producer Col D'Orcia in Tuscany. It is made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%.  In the taste I get a big hit of sour cherry, some leather, black currant with tannins on the finish. A great food wine.

The last wine is a red wine from Valpolicella from producer Tenute Falezze. It is a Valpolicella Superiore wine from 2016. It contains the grapes Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. This is a beautiful delicate red. Very elegant taste with cherry, licorice, with some viol and cassis. A wonderful Valpolicella.

Three wines from Monte Del Frá

The producer Monte del Fra was founded in 1958 by Massimo Bonomo and his two sons Eligio and Claudio. The company is situated near Verona in the area Bianco di Custoza where they have most of their vineyards, however for about ten years they also have a an estate in Fumane, Lena di Mezzo in the heart of the Valpolicella classico area. The company produce many different wine and I had the fortune to try three of them.

First up is the wine Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore of vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 13%. This wine is from the heart of Custoza in the hills near Sommacompagna. Grape varieties are 40% Garganega, 10% Trebbiano toscano, 15% Trebbianello, 35% Cortese and Incrocio Manzoni.In the taste I get apples, citrus and some minerals. This is a lovely white wine which I think can be stored for a couple of years before drinking.

Next wine is the Valpolicella Classico Lena Di Mezzo of vintage 2017 and ABV 12,5%. The vineyard is located in the heart of Fumane and this area is full of hills and the mean altitude is about 300 metres above sea level. The grape varieties are 80% Corvina veronese, Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, the classic grapes of Valpolicella. In the taste I get strawberries, red cherry some oak and tannins. Quite dangerously easy drinking wine. A very good Valpolicella.

The last wine is the Valpollicella Ripasso classico superiore from 2016 and this wine is also from Lena di Mezzo. The ABV is a bit higher and is at 14%.  As usual for the ripasso the skins of the grapes from Amorone is added for a slow second fermentation when making this ripasso. Lastly the wine is stored in French oak casks for 18 months before being bottled. In the taste I get plum, oak and some red fruits. Very nicely balanced and yet another very good wine from Monte Del Fra.

Etna Rosso and Valpolicella Ripasso

From the south to the north. I start in Sicily with a red wine from Etna. It is an Etna Rosso from Tornatore of the vintage 2016. The ABV is 13,5%. The grapes used are 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio. Due to the height of the volcano Etna and how the lava streams has flowed there are several interesting areas on Etna where grapes are grown. For this wine I get strawberries, cherries and some acidity in the taste. A bit lighter than I thought it would be but a very good wine.

Next up is a Ripasso from Valpolicella. It is from producer Ca' Vendri and of the vintage 2015. The ABV is 13,5%. This wine has a hint of sweetness with some dry tannins, dark cherries and plums. Yet another good Ripasso.

Three wines from Veneto

Time to go north in Italy and try three different wines from the Veneto region. First up the the only red wine of this session. It is a Valpolicella ripasso from producer Antiche Terre of the vintage 2015. The ABV is 13,5%. I taste vanilla, cherries and some other red fruits. Some softer tannins in the aftertaste. A good wine.

Next up is two white wine. The first white wine is the Soave by producer Luigi Righetti. Vintage is 2015 and ABV is 12%. It has a smell of white fruits like melon and some elderberry. The taste is of melon and some elderberry. Quite a light wine but a good tablewine for a warm summer day. This wine is made of the grapes Garganega and Trebbiano.

The last wine is the wine San Vincenzo from producer Roberto Anselmi. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12,5%. This is an IGT Veneto Bianco wine, and the grapes used are Garganega (70%), Chardonnay (15%) and Sauvignon blanc (15%). I get a taste of melon, grapefruit and honey. A very good wine.

Valpolicella wines in Verona

Verona is a beautiful city and what better place to try some red wine from Valpolicella?

First wine is from producer Brigaldara and the wine is a Valpolicella ripasso superiore. Brigaldara is situated in the Marano valley in the village San Floriano. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14,5%. I find it to be a very good fruity wine and when I say fruits I mean dried red fruits. A good after taste and I really like this wine.

Next wine is from producer Villa Spinosa, it is called Figari and the vintage is 2012 with an ABV of 13%. This grapes for this wine comes from a terrace called Figari. The grapes are a blend of Corvina Veronese and Corvinone. It has soft tannins with a taste of black currants and some red cherries. It is an elegant wine and very good.

  

When in Verona please make a visit to Locanda 4 cuochi. A very good restaurant mentioned in the Michelin guide. Good prices and very good food.

  

From a red wine in the north to red wine in Sicily

The red wines of the Veneto region is something I will try to discover more of in the future. One small step is the wine I had in the weekend. It is called Mattarana Valpolicella Ripasso from 2012. Where Mattarana is the producer. Valpolicella is an area in the Venoto region and Ripasso is the production method. In Ripasso the grape juice is fermented together with the pressings from the Amarone production to give the Ripasso wine  stronger touch.
This wine has an alcohol level of 14% and the wines colour is deep red. The taste is very good, almost red fruits such as cherries and with some herbs. Not as much tannins as one would expect.

Firriato is a producer in Italy. They have estates all over Sicily such as near Trapani for example. Altavilla delle Corte is a wine made out of Nero D'Avola and Caberet Sauvignon grapes. And the grapes comes from the Borgo Guarini estate outside of Trapani. It is of vintage 2010 and later vintages of this product has only Cabernet Sauvignon. It smells good and the colour is very dark. The taste is good. Strong red cherries with some herbs and tannins in the back. Very nice wine.
Altavilla were one of the first Norman families to settle in Sicily and from this family comes the name of this wine.

 Trapani is a very nice town and is highly recommended to visit the town. The old town in Trapani is very beautiful and lovely situated along the water. This is how Trapani looks from the old town of Erice.

.

A return to San Gimignano

I had the chance to try a couple of different wines. The white wine Vernaccia Di San Gimignano has became of one my favourites. This time I had the chance to try the producer Montendoli and a bottle from 2011. It has the characteristics of a Vernaccia but the aftertaste is not so much bitter almond as the other ones I have tried. Very good wine.

I usually prefer red wines from Italy than France and this time I have tried a bottle each from each country. First up is a Ripasso from Valpolicella by producer Castelforte. It has a taste of cherries and is not that strong, definatley not as complex as the Castelforte Amarone. Goes well with pasta.

Couvent des Jacobins Bourgogne Rouge is Louis Jadots standard Bourgogne red wine. It has a spice tasty but lacks something for me. Does it need a one or two more years of storage?

Four Italians

I have had the choice to test a couple of different wines the last month. First up is La Vis Gewürztraminer. I didn't have much expectations for this wine as it was very cheap but to my suprise it were very nice. Very light and tastes of elderberries and spices. Perfect as an aperitif wine.

Next wine is from the beautiful medieval town of San Gimignano, a so called vernaccia San Gimignano by producer I Mocali and from 2008. Very good and a bit stronger than the Vernaccia I had in Sam Gimignano. Not as much bitter almond in the finish but a very strong clear flavour. Unfortunately it is very hard to find this wine in Sweden.

The third wine is an older wine from Valpolicella from the year 2000. It is by producer Vigneti di Torbe and is a ripasso wine. This bottle has the label Domini Veneti, aka the golden era which is  a label for good wines by Cantina Valpolicella Negrar. Now this Vigneti di Torbe is very strong and it took at least half an hour for the wine to open up in the glass. When it did it was majestic. Strong black currant taste and a long finish. Would go really well together with red meat.

When eating an Italian dessert, panatone from Siena, what better wine to go with it then an Italian sweet wine and this time it was a Recioto Di Soave. Good taste and worked very well together with the dolci.

Three white Italians

I love Italian wine. And this time it is time for three different white Italian wines. First up is Zecci Classico from 2010 by producer Piersanti. It is made of the grape verdicchio and from the DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. The smell is clear and very distinct. The taste is sharp and full of citrus and a hint of oak. The taste lingers long in the mouth with a dry finish. Very good for drinking of with food.
Next wine is from Sicily is made of the grape Chardonnay. Producer Cusamano has made the wine angimbé from 2012. The taste is of pear and apples. A perfect summerwine when the sun is shining. Very good.
The last wine tasted is producer Masis white wine Masiano from 2012 made by grapes from Pinot Grigio and verduzzo. The taste of this wine has a big citrus character with big acidity. Definately need food with his wine. I think that fish would go perfectly with this wine.

Fasoli Gino one more time

Last time I tried a Fasoli Gino wine it was a white wine. This time it is time for their red Valpolicella called La Corte del Pozzo from 2010. It consists of of 70% Corvina grapes and  30%, Rondinella grapes. The colour is a dark red or maybe light ruby. The wine smells of red and black currants. The taste is a big smack of red and black currants with an underlying taste of vanilla and it is very dry. It is nice for being a red wine. It seem that Valpolicella produces red wines that I like. Definately an area worth a visit.

And if you are in the Valpolicella area. Visit Verona and enjoy the most beautiful town square in the world. Especialy during evening. Salute!

Pasqua Valpolicella Ripasso 2010

When I make a tagliatelli al ragu at home wine is an important component. When I were younger I used the cheapest wine I could find. But if I can't drink the wine I am using for cooking why should I even use it for cooking? I normally use both red and white wine when cooking a ragu. The nice thing is that if I use a good wine when cooking I can always sample some of the wine while drinking.
For my latest ragu I used a wine from Valpolicella near Verona. And if you ever get the chance to visit Verona go to the town square when darkness falls and enjoy one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe. The Pasqua Valpolicella ripasso are made of several different grapes like Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone,  and Negara and obtained from the Ripasso technique. I checked the tasting notes before buying the wine so it would go well with the ragu and the tasting notes said a strong taste of cherries. I can only agree as it has a strong taste of cherries and not that much else. Very drinkable together with the tagiatella al ragu.

Good times in Verona

When in Verona there is a big winelist in every trattoria and La Taverna da via Stella is no different. A lot of different traditional Veronese food and with a lot of wine from around Verona. For the primi I choose a Veronese style gnochi and as a secondi stuffed duck with polenta. Very traditional veronese food. For the wine I choose a Valpolicella Vigneto Boccascalucce from 2010. The food was excellent, probably one of the best restaurants in Verona. The wine tasted very nice for being a red wine. The aftertaste had a very strong berry taste lingering in my mouth which I liked. And as a dessert I had almond biscuits with the traditional Recioto della Valpolicella. I could have two or three dessers like that. Yummy and the wine was good as usual. I love the sweet Italian wines.